Why a leading brand chooses to tell its story through limited-circulation magazines in the digital age

In this follow-up to our indie magazine exploration, we welcome Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt, co-founder of Patta, to discuss how print magazines function within contemporary brand ecosystems. What began as a sneaker boutique in Amsterdam has evolved into a multifaceted cultural force spanning clothing, music, sports, and social initiatives, with their biannual print magazine serving as a connective tissue between these elements.

The conversation explores how magazines shaped Guillaume's worldview from an early age, from The Source to Fantastic Man, before examining why Patta launched their own publication during the pandemic. “Magazines slow down time,” Guillaume explains, contrasting the deliberate experience of page-turning with the rapid pace of digital scrolling. This deceleration creates space for deeper storytelling and unexpected cultural connections that reflect Patta's philosophy of operating between established categories.

Most revealing is Guillaume's articulation of the magazine's purpose: not as a revenue generator, but as a cultural artifact that embodies Patta's ethos of “out of love and necessity rather than profit and novelty.” Through editorial choices that deliberately juxtapose diverse influences—from grime artists to political philosophers—the magazine materializes Patta's commitment to representing Blackness while refusing to be pigeonholed. The conversation highlights how physical media creates different relationships with audiences than digital content, revealing the continued relevance of tactile experiences in building authentic community connections.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Patta's Evolution

03:42 - Patta's Origin Story

08:32 - Magazines as Cultural Touchpoints

12:05 - Why Create a Print Magazine Today

17:03 - Beyond Monetization: Magazines as Brand Expression

24:46 - Content and Cultural Connections

30:33 - Blackness as Starting Point

35:01 - Magazine Distribution and Community Building

39:14 - Digital vs. Physical Media Ecosystem

42:35 - Future Directions for Patta and Print

Links:

• Patta: https://www.patta.nl/
• Patta Magazine (available only in Patta stores)
• Follow the Rabbit s04e11 - Indie Magazines: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/follow-the-rabbit/episodes/From-Davos-to-your-Inbox-Narratives--Newsletters--and-Nuances-with-Adrian-Monck-e31ad2o

---------------

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Spotify⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Youtube⁠

Follow the Rabbit is a Known Unknowns production

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Follow the Rabbit is hosted by Igor Schwarzmann & Johannes Kleske

Find out more about ⁠⁠Igor Schwarzmann⁠⁠

Find out moire about ⁠⁠Johannes Kleske⁠⁠

In a world obsessed with digital content, why are luxury print magazines not just surviving but thriving?

In this episode of Follow the Rabbit, we explore the persistent appeal of print magazines in our hyper-digital world. Sparked by a New York Times article about “the revenge of the niche fashion magazine,” we examine how these physical artifacts create communities, serve as premium spaces for advertisers, and offer respite from algorithm-driven experiences.

Drawing from Johannes' long-standing connection to Monocle magazine and broader industry observations, we look at how print publications are finding new relevance not despite our digital immersion but because of it. The discussion moves beyond nostalgia to explore how tactile media creates deeper engagement, how luxury brands seek “safe spaces” away from controversial online environments, and why younger demographics increasingly turn to print as an alternative to screen-based content.

From indie magazine shops in Berlin to brand-created publications like Patta's community-focused magazine, the episode offers insight into how print media is evolving from a mere information vehicle to a cultural touchpoint that brings people together in physical spaces.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Context

02:35 - The "Print is Back" Cycle

04:10 - Johannes' Personal Connection to Print Magazines

05:07 - How Magazines Survived the iPad Era

07:15 - Niche Markets and the Myth of "Winner Takes All"

10:13 - The Cultural Influence of Indie Magazines

13:02 - Community Building Through Physical Media

18:45 - The Role of Collectibility and Advertising

21:37 - The Siemens Example: Digital Products in Print

25:29 - Nostalgia as Alternative History

28:52 - Digital Fatigue and Young Readers' Preferences

35:40 - Bringing People Together: The Monocle Patron Circle

39:17 - Print as a Counterpoint to AI-Generated Content

Links:

• NY Times – ‘The Revenge of the Niche Fashion Magazine’: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/style/fashion-magazines.html
• do you read me?! Shop: https://doyoureadme.de/en
• Monocle: https://monocle.com
• Patta (Shop & Magazine): https://www.patta.nl/
• Digital Dualism as critizised by Nathan Jurgenson: https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/02/24/digital-dualism-versus-augmented-reality/
• Sources for the statistics:
• • 2021 MPA Factbook: https://www.newsmediaalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2021-MPA-Factbook_REVISED-NOV-2021.pdf
  • Bold Entity: https://boldentity.com/print-marketing-a-millennials-perspective/
  • Electro IQ: https://electroiq.com/stats/print-marketing-statistics/

---------------

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Spotify⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Youtube⁠

Follow the Rabbit is a Known Unknowns production

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Follow the Rabbit is hosted by Igor Schwarzmann & Johannes Kleske

Find out more about ⁠⁠Igor Schwarzmann⁠⁠

Find out moire about ⁠⁠Johannes Kleske⁠⁠

In this monthly recap episode, Igor and Johannes reflect on cultural phenomena that caught their attention during March 2025, exploring luxury consumption, wellness trends, and the evolving nature of media consumption.

From the luxury supermarket Erewhon and its influence on brand perception to the complex social implications of GLP-1 drugs and the fascinating personalization of sound through the Endel app. The hosts conclude with insights on how long-form conversations are reshaping our relationship with media consumption and knowledge formation.

Key themes:

• How luxury food retailers like Erewhon transform shopping into status signaling
• The emerging social dynamics around weight loss medications
• Personal soundscapes as a form of positive algorithmic personalization
• The shift toward conversations as units of culture and knowledge production
• How consumer products reflect our collective search for belonging

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Monthly Format02:55 - Erewhon: The Business of Aspirational Groceries12:25 - Status Signaling & The Loneliness Connection17:45 - GLP-1 on Campus: Elle's New Column on Student Usage24:52 - Andal: Personalized Soundscapes for ADHD Focus35:24 - Conversations as Culture: The New Unit of Knowledge Formation41:05 - Video vs. Audio: Different Ways to Experience Dialogue47:51 - Long-form Conversations & Human Connection52:27 - Closing Thoughts

Suggested Links:

1. Erewhon-related content:
2. • Vogue Business article about Erewhon: https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/consumers/the-business-of-erewhon uID=16d13b220ccb049d0b0aeccdeb34f14634765ffc5ec3b5735cbf184ebf8c07f2
3. Touchland:
4. • Article/coverage about their growth from 16M to 100M revenue: https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/touchland-hand-sanitizer-rcna197416
5. GLP-1/Ozempic coverage:
6. • Elle magazine's new column on GLP-1 drugs: https://www.elle.com/ozempic/
   • The specific article about "GLP-1 drugs on campus“: https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/a63787623/ozempic-secret-college-campuses-trend-explained/
7. Endel app:
8. • Endel's official website: https://endel.io/
9. Conversations as culture:
10. • Kayle Chayka's newsletter post about "conversations as the new unit of culture“: https://onethingnewsletter.substack.com/p/conversations-are-the-new-unit-of
    • Jeff Staple's dinner conversation video/series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSpLRsQ1vsw&t=695s
11. Other references:

• Information about Jellycats and blind box collectibles: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g34x51en8o

---------------

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Spotify⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Youtube⁠

Follow the Rabbit is a Known Unknowns production

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Follow the Rabbit is hosted by Igor Schwarzmann & Johannes Kleske

Find out more about ⁠⁠Igor Schwarzmann⁠⁠

Find out moire about ⁠⁠Johannes Kleske⁠⁠

What happens when 90% of our cultural insights come from just 10 cities?

In this episode of Follow the Rabbit, Igor and Johannes welcome cultural strategist Amy Daroukakis, who shares her provocative thesis that 90% of trend reports come from just 10 cities in the world—creating a homogenized view of culture that fails to capture global diversity. With 20 years of experience working across 60+ countries, Amy offers insight into how this narrow lens affects everything from business decisions to physical spaces.

The conversation explores how true curiosity has become the essential skill in an age of AI and algorithm-driven content. Through stories spanning Korean kimchi robots to secret trend rooms for major retailers, they unpack how human storytelling and cultural context provide what AI cannot: meaningful connections between seemingly disparate elements.

Key themes include:

• The problem with current trend reporting and its bias toward Western/Global North perspectives
• Amy's project to gather 52 diverse global voices for 2025 cultural insights
• How curiosity becomes both a personal practice and a professional advantage
• The challenges of translating cultural trends into actionable business strategies
• Why the ability to make connections across contexts becomes increasingly valuable as AI handles the mundane

This thoughtful discussion reveals how to move beyond "trends for trends' sake" toward deeper cultural understanding—and why your ability to get lost in rabbit holes might be your most valuable asset in the coming era.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Amy's Background

05:17 - The Problem with Global Trend Reports

08:53 - Building the Trend Folder & Democratizing Information

12:00 - Curiosity vs Professional Interest in Trends

14:34 - The Challenge of Being Curious in Organizations

16:16 - Human Storytelling vs AI in Cultural Insights

21:44 - The Disconnect Between Research and Application

23:23 - Target's Secret Trend Rooms: A Personal Story

25:32 - From Ta-Da Presentations to Co-Curiosity Building

28:00 - AI Tools and the Value of Human Curiosity

30:12 - From Technology Trends to Cultural Phenomena

31:52 - What Trend Reports Reveal About Companies

35:56 - Kimchi Robots: Connecting Culture and Innovation

39:46 - Multiple Truths: Everything Everywhere All at Once

43:21 - Honest Conversations About Organizational Speed

46:18 - Curiosity as the Key Skill in the Age of AI

49:26 - Finding Connections in Chaos

54:30 - Sensory Approaches to Cultural Understanding

56:35 - Closing Thoughts: Trends as Manifestations of Curiosity

Follow Amy on LinkedIn

---------------

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Spotify⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Youtube⁠

Follow the Rabbit is a Known Unknowns production

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Follow the Rabbit is hosted by Igor Schwarzmann & Johannes Kleske

Find out more about ⁠⁠Igor Schwarzmann⁠⁠

Find out moire about ⁠⁠Johannes Kleske⁠⁠

The $19 strawberry isn't ridiculous—it's the perfect artifact for decoding our conflicted relationship with luxury, authenticity, and outrage culture.

In this episode of Follow the Rabbit, Igor and Johannes examine the viral phenomenon of the $19 strawberry sold at Erewhon, the luxury LA supermarket previously featured in their Season 3 discussions. What begins as apparent late-stage capitalism absurdity reveals itself as a complex intersection of Japanese craftsmanship, global logistics, social media dynamics, and changing luxury consumption patterns.

The conversation traces how these rare Tochigi Prefecture strawberries—requiring seven years of cross-breeding and extreme cultivation care—transform from agricultural achievement to viral content. Through examining both the supply side (Japanese dedication to craft perfection, complex air shipping logistics) and the demand side (performative consumption, health signaling), the hosts reveal how this seemingly ridiculous luxury item perfectly encapsulates numerous cultural currents.

Key themes include:

• Japan's centuries-long tradition of luxury fruit cultivation and gifting
• The logistics challenge of delivering ultra-fresh produce across continents
• How Western cultures romanticize Japanese craftsmanship as an antidote to digital disembodiment
• The psychology behind viral "I tried it so you don't have to" content
• The tension between sustainability concerns and luxury consumption
• How outrage itself becomes part of the attention economy that propels phenomena like this

The episode offers a thoughtful exploration of how a simple strawberry becomes a mirror reflecting our complicated relationship with luxury, craft, consumption, and digital performance.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & Strawberry Season
01:57 - The $19 Strawberry Phenomenon
05:01 - Japanese Luxury Fruit Traditions
11:00 - Craft, Logistics, and True Costs
17:25 - Digital Culture and Performative Consumption
23:43 - Sustainability Tensions and Status Signaling
27:29 - Irrationality, Art, and Exclusivity
29:58 - Closing Thoughts

Links:

• Follow the Rabbit s03e04 – The Evolution of Health as a Luxury https://youtu.be/mgsRwe9pEk8
• Erewhon's viral strawberry moment: https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssaantocii/video/7474331662508166430
• Truly Classy – A Look Inside Japan’s World of Luxury Fruits: https://www.trulyclassy.com/look-inside-japans-world-luxury-fruits/
• Food&Wine – Why Does This Single Strawberry Cost $19?: https://www.foodandwine.com/erewhon-viral-tochiaika-strawberry-11685638
• People – Erewhon’s ‘Dystopian’ $19 Strawberry Has the Internet Outraged: https://people.com/erewhon-s-dystopian-strawberry-has-the-internet-outraged-11688868
• Hiro Dreams of Sushi documentary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiro_Dreams_of_Sushi
• Neil Postman - Amusing Ourselves to Death: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death

---------------

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Spotify⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Youtube⁠

Follow the Rabbit is a Known Unknowns production

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Follow the Rabbit is hosted by Igor Schwarzmann & Johannes Kleske

Find out more about ⁠⁠Igor Schwarzmann⁠⁠

Find out moire about ⁠⁠Johannes Kleske⁠⁠

From Trump's scripted reality to tech journalism's new priorities, exploring the connections between seemingly disparate cultural shifts

Throughout the episode, a central theme emerges: in a world of increasingly scripted realities and algorithmic experiences, meaningful connection and deep understanding become both more valuable and more challenging to achieve.

In this month's review episode, Igor and Johannes examine three seemingly unrelated phenomena that reveal deeper patterns in our cultural landscape. Through the lens of attention economics, they explore how professional wrestling's scripted reality has become a powerful framework for understanding contemporary politics.

Starting with Jon Stewart's incisive analysis of recent White House events, they discuss how Trump's wrestling background provides context for his political approach, where nothing is random despite appearances. The conversation draws connections to Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death," highlighting how media environments shape political discourse and societal responses.

The discussion then turns to "soft clubbing," an emerging trend where young people seek curated musical experiences in relaxed, daytime settings that prioritize connection over intoxication. This shift exemplifies broader post-pandemic behavioral changes, where health-conscious socializing and in-person interactions become a new form of counterculture.

Finally, they examine Wired magazine's surprising transformation under Katie Drummond's leadership into an essential source for investigative reporting on technology's political dimensions. By hiring specialized beat reporters and building a dedicated political team before the election cycle, Wired demonstrates how media organizations can adapt to complex challenges through strategic foresight and depth over breadth.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Context

01:05 - Wrestling as a Lens for Political Reality

10:09 - Soft Clubbing: The New Social Paradigm

22:04 - Wired's Transformation: Technology as Political

32:45 - Journalism's Challenge in the Age of Trump

39:21 - Closing Thoughts: Finding Patterns in Complexity

Links:

• Is Everything Wrestling – NYT – https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/magazine/is-everything-wrestling.html
• Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy – The Daily Show – https://youtu.be/OeUZI5RnYGg?si=xXDu6jRCH6f4i4KG
• Amusing Ourselves to Death – Neil Postman – Wikiedpia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death
• 2025: The Year of Soft Clubbing – Yusuf Ntahilaja – https://yusufntahilaja.substack.com/p/2025-the-year-of-soft-clubbing
• Kara Swisher interviews Katie Drummond – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7upK7nHM1Q
• Heimweh nach der Zukunft - Profil Esther Dyson – brand eins (German) – https://www.brandeins.de/magazine/brand-eins-wirtschaftsmagazin/2024/vorausdenken/esther-dyson-heimweh-nach-der-zukunft

---------------

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Spotify⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

Follow the Rabbit on ⁠Youtube⁠

Follow the Rabbit is a Known Unknowns production

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Known Unknowns on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Follow the Rabbit is hosted by Igor Schwarzmann & Johannes Kleske

Find out more about ⁠⁠Igor Schwarzmann⁠⁠

Find out moire about ⁠⁠Johannes Kleske⁠⁠